Kim Jong-un’s daughter and apparent successor is believed to have a younger sibling, South Korea’s spy agency said, offering a more detailed view of the ruling family.
The spy agency has previously said Jong-un is believed to have three children, but there has been uncertainty about their order of birth.
Jong-un’s daughter, Kim Ju-ae, was first introduced to the public in 2022 when she accompanied her father to the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
The Kim family has ruled North Korea for decades, and a cult of personality surrounding their “Paektu bloodline” dominates daily life.
“The National Intelligence Service (NIS) currently assesses that Kim Ju-ae is being groomed as the successor and understands she has a younger sibling of unknown gender,” the agency said in a statement.
The NIS said it was continuing to verify whether Ju-Ae has an older brother, but believes that “even if he exists, he is not in a position to become the successor”.
Since 2022, Ju-ae has appeared at a number of major political events with her father, including a high-profile visit to Beijing.
North Korean state media have also referred to her as “the beloved child” and a “great person of guidance” – “hyangdo” in Korean – a term typically reserved for top leaders and their successors. — AFP
